SXSW 2019 is just around the corner and there’s many exciting events, keynotes, talks, and demonstrations scheduled around the festival in regards to VR & AR technology. Many of the brightest minds in the community will be in attendance to showcase the values immersive tech.

The VR & AR portion during this year’s SXSW festival will happen between March 11 – 13. Below are some of the key sessions and events to attend while at the festival.

From cars programmed to kill you to Pokémon hiding in the Holocaust museum, the ethical implications of technology have never been more apparent. And that’s just today. Peek into the Microsoft HoloLens design process to learn how they’re designing mixed reality experiences for a more ethical tomorrow. Whether you’re building experiences for mixed reality, mobile, or anything in between, they’ll give you and your teams the tools and inspiration to do the same.

Virtual reality is touted as the ultimate immersive experience. Its ability to transport the user into situations and locations beyond their dreams showcases its power. But social isolation can come into play with any technology that removes all distractions from the real-world. Networked and multiplayer solutions work for people inside a headset, but what about for everyone else?

In this panel, they will bring together several experts who are building VR communities inside and outside of the headsets. They have figured out ways to combine the real world with the virtual world, recruiting some unlikely allies. Their work illustrates how our communications can improve and evolve through and around these new technologies.

The global augmented reality and virtual reality market is expected to reach $94.4 billion by 2023. AR and VR have historically been seen through primarily an entertainment lens. However, companies are increasingly realizing the value of these technologies to drive employee and customer engagement. This session is an opportunity for global business innovators and AR/VR experts to come together and learn (and see!) about what the current and future opportunities are to drive engagement and revenue through AR and VR technology.

A panel of media, music and XR experts discuss immersive & spatial music. From the creators of AeronautVR, Cannes Lions winner, to TribeXR, an immersive DJ learning experience, panelists dig into a new wave of tech that is changing artist/fan relationships. Showing the reach of VR/AR, SVRF powered 35M+ camera/web/VR experiences with musicians like Nicki Minaj and Zedd. VR concerts can now reach fans of all ages/locations. Panelists will speculate on future content & tech from artists & creators.

What is the future of learning and cultural engagement in a world where the physical and visual arts, and the full range of formal and informal learning, no longer need to be seen or framed in traditional spaces, places and media formats. What does true immersion mean for engagement in the arts, for learning and for pleasure. Do we lose or gain from the breaking down of walls and the tearing out of pages, into a brave new world where learning can be truly participatory, personalised and transformative.

In arguably the most significant shift in learning and engagement in centuries, a scientific and technological revolution is afoot, and our panel will discuss and explore the drivers of this paradigm shift, for artists, educators, curators, creators, and of course their audiences.